Liquid measuring, can filling apparatus



May 11, 1948. c. F. EATON LIQUID MEASURING, CAN FILLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1945 mmmnmm y 1948 c. F. EATON LIQUID MEASURING, CAN FILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 11 1948 LIQUID MEASURING, CAN FILLING APPARATUS Charles F. Eaton, Methuen, Mass, assignor to Bennett Incorporated, Cambridge, poration of Massachusetts I Mass, a cor- Application November 13, 1945, Serial No. 628,012

12 Claims. (Cl. 222-438) The object of this invention is to furnish a machine adapted for use to fill cans rapidly with accurately measured relatively large quantities of liquid; and to thus fill a number of cans simultaneously. I have heretofore invented and disclosed in a patent application filed by me June 29, 1944, Serial No. 542,779, now Patent N0. 2,422,- 719, June 24, 1947, for Can filling machine, a machine preeminently adapted for filling small cans with accurately measured charges in the order of from one fluid ounce to one quart. The apparatus which forms the subject matter of this invention is intended to measure substantially larger quantities of from one quart up to one gallon or more, and deliver the measured quantities into cans.

By way of definition I would say that the word can as used in this specification and in the claims is not limited in its significance to rectangular cans made of tin plate, but is intended to include and embrace liquid containers of all characters and shapes, made of any suitable material, unless the context definitely specifies otherwise. I

In the accompanying drawings I have shown on a reduced scale a specific apparatus of which the parts have been designed to fill gallon cans with accurately measured gallons of liquid. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus, With omission of the supply tank;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus as seen from the left of Fig. 1 with the supply pipe in section on line 2- 2;

Fig, 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, with parts below that line shown in plan; I

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and shown on a larger scale;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken-on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the displacers.

'Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all the figurres.

The apparatus comprises a suitable supporting structure which in this instance is constructed oflegs 6, 6, a shelf 1' which forms a table whereon' cans to be filled are placed, and an upper shelf 8-by which valved delivery spouts and valve operating means are supported and positioned. Parallel angle irons 9 and ID are mounted on the upper ends of the front and rear legs, respectively, and are disposed with horizontal flanges projecting inwardly as ledges to support the longitudinal bottom cornersof a tank or casing H. A cover or roof i2 is supported by the rear wall and oneend wall of the casing II. This cover is formed with a high central longitudinal ridge andsteeply pitched sides and has an end wall at one end (thatremote from the operators station), while the other end is open, or may be covered, wholly or partially, by a transparent pane. The lower edge of its rear and end walls are receivedinfa-grooved ledge 13 on the upper edges of the corresponding walls of the casing.

A slot M of sufficient width to admit inflow of air is provided between the lower edge of the front side of the cover and the upper edge of the front wall of the casing. Exhaust conduits [-5 may be connected with the ridge of the cover, as shown in Fig. 1, to conduct away vapors arising from the liquid being measured. But this is an optional feature employed when the liquid handled emits noxious fumes. With inofiensive liquids, thenatural flow of air through the slot l4 and out from the open end of the cover affords sufiicient ventilation.

The operator's station is at the left hand end of the apparatus with respect to Fig. 1, that is, the end through which he can see into theinterior. Thus the-operator may observe the flow of liquid into and out of the measuring vessels. Shielded fluorescent lighting tubes 16 are mounted outside of translucent panes set into one wall. of the cover for illuminating the interior of the casing.

Measuring vessels I! are mounted in a row on the bottom and along the front wall of the casing II, with a wide enough spacing between their central points to permit placement of a can to be filled beneath the outlet of each. They are open at the topand each has an outlet opening in its bottom registering with an opening in the bottom of .the casing through which a tubular nipple or pipe section 3 extends. Each nipple 18 passes downward into connection with a stop valve casing I9;v which rests on the shelf 8 and is secured thereto by a tube. section 20 screwed into the lower end orifice of the valve casing, pas-sing through the shelf, and having a lock nut 2| screwed On its. lower end.

A supply tank for liquid, not here shown, is supported at a level somewhat higher than the casing H and in it the liquid to be dispensed is maintained at a substantially constant level, preferably, in order that the time required to fill the measuring vessels I! will be uniform. A pipe 22leads from the supply tank into connectionwith a horizontal distributing pipe 23, which extends from end to end in the housing II and 3 is rotatably mounted in bearings in the end walls thereof at a height above the tops of the measuring vessels [1.

Nozzles or delivery tubes 24 project from the distributing pipe 23 in a longitudinal row from one side thereof and are spaced apart on centers equally to the center spacing between itheiseveral measuring vessels. They are locatedfin the same planes, transverse to the pipe 23, with some part of the spaces embraced by the bounding wallsfiof the several measuring vessels, and each is of a length approximately equal to, "or slightly more than, the distance from the pipe to the upper end of the nearest measuring vessel, :and less than the distance from the pipe :to .the front wall of the casing; the measuring pipe being st 4 liquid volume by the vessels ll, the nipples 18 project far enough above the bottoms of the vessels to retain enough liquid to cover their bottoms after each discharge of their contents. The level of the liquid thus retained establishes a definite and invariable level for the bottom of the charge at each filling. The top *level 'of the'charge is determined by a part 35 of the upper edge'which is at a lower level than all other parts of the upper edge. The level of part 35 is set by any suitable method so that the quantity of liquid between the level which it establishes and the level established by the retained liquid in the bottom of the vessel is somewhat 'more than the amount reback from such wall more than midway of the casing. These parts are so 'a'rira'n'g'ed that the distributing pipe and delivery nozzles can Ibe placed in the position shown by full lines in Figs.

4 and 5, where the nozzlesprojeet upwardly and rotated thence to the position shown by broken lines in Fig. 4, in which the nozzles are undelivering relation to the measuring vessels. A hand -crank is secured to theend-of the distributing pipe which projects adjacent to the operators station and-serves the operator for rotating the pipe back and forth between these positions. Stops 26 and 2-! projecting :irom the adjacent bearing'of the :pipe, (and the angular spacing of which around the axis-is bestshown in Fig. 2), arrest the crank in one or the other, respectively,

of these positions.

The distributing .pipe isconnected with the end 22a of the supply pipe by aswivel coupling 28 of any-character suitable to permit easy enough rotation while preventing leakage. A valve (hereinafter referred "to as the'delivery valve) is *associated with the crank and controlled thereby to :permit flow of liquid when the pipe and nozzles are in the delivering yDOSltlOD, (broken line position of Fig. 4 and shut off the -fiow when the nozzles are in the other position. Any-one of a number-of valves and valve=operating means may be used for this purpose. The one :illustratively shown hereinzcomprisesa housing-Mkoonnected -in -the pipe line 22 adjacenttothe-crardrifi,in which a gate is mounted-by means'of a pivot Slitoswing back and forth across the ;passageway through the "valve housing. :An external arm 81 is-connected to pivot Bil-andisbiasd a springiz so as normally to hold the walvegate in closed-position. Arm -31 is locatedin-the p'ath of a pin -33 which projects from thecrank arm'and is so dis- :posed that, whenthecrankdn stopped engagement with thestop pin 2l, arm '3'! :is'di'splace'd-so as to open the valve gate widely, rtthe nozzles be- *ing them in position to deliver :liquid :into the measuring 'vessels). When the crank is with-'- spring 32. The valve sgear fabove desoribed is intended to typify any means iior iperforming the essential functions of turning in "and =ofi the flow of liquid conformablywith positions of the deliver nozzles. The dtails-of the deliveryvalve are of minor importance :pro'vided it iperforms these functions.

=A shut downvalve 34 'i's located inithe gpipe lhre i'n advan'ceof the 'deliveiiy'valve for the purpose of closing oif the supply :when the apparatus is left 'idle "over night for for any other long fextended .period. It is of 6a tight dlosing =cliaracter to ip'revent any ;possible *leak-age "and :dripping f the liquid.

have provided a displacer 36 in association witheach measuring vessel so mounted that it can be adiust'ed up and down in the upper part of the vessel. One of such displacers is shown in Figs. '4 and -6. It is secured to a slotted strap 36a which is heldagainst the front wall of the casing H by a threaded stud projecting from the wall through the slot of the strap and a wing nut screwed on the stud. By adjusting thedisplacer -s0'as to-extend moreor less deeply into the meas- .uring vessel, the interior of the latter available for reception of liquid may be instantly varied withinexceedingly narrow limitsof accuracy. a 'convenien-t manufacturing detail, the .displa'cers are made assheet metal boxes openat-the top and are filled with the liquid being measured *so as i :to have :no buoyancy.

drawn from stop -2 1, the valve :gate 'closed'by 130 lhe vertical'distance between the table 1 and shelf 8 is made such as to permit placement of standard cans of the prescribed capacity on the table with their spouts or nozzles directly beneath the outletof the deliveryeonnections formed by the nipple 1 8, valvecasing l 9 andcoupling thimble '20. Gages 31 are secured to the upper side of the table, suitably formed to embrace the bottom-ends Means and locate a pan in alinement with each one of these delivery connections. Cans 38 are here shown as supported on the table and located byythe gages in a rowparallel to the row of :measuring vessels with their several spouts or nozzles -39 in register with the several delivery connections.

Valve bodies 40 are mounted rotatably :in the valve'casing l9 and are so constructed that by a partial rotatioh in one'directionor the'otherthey open wide or wholly obstruct the delivery passages. All the valve bodies are connected by sprocket and chain gearings 4! with a'shaft42, which is mounted in bearing brackets -43 on the shelf't. Acrank arm 4-4 is secured to-th'e shaft at the end of the machine where the operator takes his station. Stops-45 and H5 are situated in the path of a lug "41 oh the hub 'of the prank arm suitably 'tmarrest the arm when the valves are, respectively, in the closingand opening .positions. The valves 9-46 are :provided 'to Zprevent discharge from the measuring vessels while they are filling-up. Anzoverfiowdischarge conduit 48 leads from the bottom of "the :casing to iconiiuct away the liquid which overflows rfrom :the sme'as- =uring vesselswhen they are dn'the use of this apparatus itheaupe'rat'or 'telk'es -a ip'osition at the end for" "the machine where the cranks 625 and are located and whence he can look into 'the :casing through the near end of the cover. Th'e:cranksare accessible toihis two hands 'soithatihe canoperate them in alternation. rBetor-mulling the measuring vessels he closes the order to insure accurate measurement of outlet valves thereof-by :placing the'orank'fl in the position shown in the drawings. He then turns the crank 25 to bring the nozzles 24 into the broken line position shown in Fig.4, and thereby opens the delivery valve in the supply pipe. When the measuring vessels are full and the liquid spills over their rear edges, he returns the crank 25 and nozzles 24 to the former position, and opens the delivery valves by means of the crank arm 44. Then repeats these operations when the flow from the measuring vessels has ceased. An attendant removes the filled cans and places empty ones in the positions established by the gages 31.

It will be noted that the position of the distributing pipe 23 is far enough in rear of the front wall of the casing to permit unobstructed swinging movement of the nozzles and that the outlet ends of the nozzles are arrested at the rear of the measuring vessels when brought to the raised stopping position. This arrangement prevents any dripping of the liquid into the measuring vessels after the nozzles have been brought upward. If any leakage through the valve 29 occurs then, the resulting drip falls to the bottom of the casing outside of the measuring vessels and is discharged through the overflow conduit. This factor cooperates with the characteristics of the measuring vessels, previously described, to insure delivery of accurately measured equal quantities in each can filling cycle.

It is possible to establish the lowest point of the upper edge of the measuring vessels at such a height that the volume between the level thereof and the bottom level is exactly that of the liquid required to be filled into the cans, and when that condition is established, it is possible to do without the displacers. However, the displacers are an important feature, because their use enables the measured volumes to be exactly regulated more easily than is possible by calibration of the overflow edge; and they have the additional utility of enabling the volume to be varied instantly and without disturbing any other part of the machine, whenever itmay be necessary to increase or diminish the measured quantities to meet varied conditions.

What 1 claim is:

1. A liquid measuring can filling apparatus comprising a casing adapted to hold liquid, a measuring vessel fixed in position within said casing having a delivery outlet leading from its bottom through the bottom of the casing, a shiftable spout in connection with a supply of liquid arranged for placement in a position where it delivers liquid into the top of the measuring vessel and into another position where its outlet orifice is clear of the measuring vessel, and a valve in said outlet operable to close the outlet when the measuring vessel is being filled and to open the outlet for delivery of liquid.

2. A multiple can filling apparatus comprising a casing having a substantially horizontal bottom, a plurality of measuring vessels mounted side by side in a row on said bottom having overflow edges at. their upper ends, valved outlet connections from the bottoms of the measuring vessels, a distributing pipe extending parallel to the row of measuring vessels at a level above the tops thereof, nozzles projecting from said pipe in a row along one side thereof with spacing between them conforming to the positions of the several measuring vessels, a supply source con nected with said pipe for supplying liquid thereto, the pipe being rotatable to place said nozzles in a position wherein they are adapted to deliver liquid into the vessels, and in a second positionwhere their outlet ends aremoved from the vesselsyand a valveoperable concurrently with rotationalmovements of the distributing pipe for admitting liquid thereto from the supply source when the nozzles are in the first named position and shutting off the iiow when the nozzles are in the second position.

3. A liquid measuring and delivering apparatus comprisinga casing having a substantially level bottom, a substantially horizontal pipe mounted in the upper part of the casing extending lengthwise thereof and being rotatable about its axis, nozzles projecting from said ,pipe arranged in a longitudinal row at one side of the pipe and being shiftable by rotation of the pipe from a position in which they project upwardly to one in which they project downwardly, measuring vessels mounted on the bottom of the casing in a row parallel to said pipe with a spacing corresponding to that of said nozzles in positions enabling each to receive liquidissuing from one of the nozzles when the pipe is turned to bring the nozzles into the before named downwardly projecting position, meansfor supplying liquid to said pipe,-and means for delivering liquid from the several measuring vessels. v

4. In a liquid measuring apparatus of the character set forth, a measuring vessel mounted in a stationary position having a valve controlled discharge outlet in its bottom and an overflowedge at its open top, a supply pipe having a nozzle rotatably mounted to bring such nozzle into position for passingliquid into the measuring vessel and I into another position wherein it is displaced from the vessel, and a valve operable to admit liquid into the supply pipe when in the first named position, and exclude liquid therefrom when in the second named position. g

5. In a liquid measuring apparatus of the character described, a plurality of measuring vessels arranged side by side in a substantially horizontal row having valve controlled outlets from their bottoms and overflow edges at their upper ends, a distributing pipe horizontally mounted in parallel with the row of measuring vessels having spouts projecting from one side located in the same planes transverseto the pipe with the several vessels, means for rotating said pipe to bring the nozzles into and .-out of position for passing liquid into the receptacles, and a supply pipe leading to the distributing pipe and with which the latter has a packed swivel connection.

6. A liquid measuring apparatus comprising-a plurality of measuring receptacles mounted in stationary locations side by side in asubstantially horizontal row, valves mounted beneath the several measuring receptacles in liquid receiving and passing connection therewith, a shaft rotatably mounted adjacent to said valves, transmission gearing between the shaft and all of said valves for opening or closing the latter simultaneously when the shaft is rotated in one direction or the opposite direction, a crank connected to said shaft for rotating it, a distributing pipe having laterally projecting nozzles mounted rotatably with provision for placing the several nozzles thereof in delivering relation to the several measuring vessels, and removing the nozzles from the vessels, a supply connection leading to said delivery pipe, and a crank connected to said pipe for rotating it, both cranks being located at one end or the apparatus for manipulation by a single operator.

7. In a liquid measuring apparatus of the char.- 

